AI and Outplacement: Personalised Career Support or Just Another Algorithm

We are witnessing firsthand how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping the world of work and the career transition industry is no exception. But when it comes to outplacement support, do the benefits that candidates gain through AI-enhanced tools outweigh the potential downsides of a growing dependence on technology?

Candidate Benefits of AI Influenced Outplacement Services

Greater Personalised Career Recommendations

One of the big benefits candidates are experiencing is the speed and scope that AI-based assessment tools are able to analyse an individual’s skillset, experiences, and preferences, and creating a more tailored suggested career path and actionable strategies. Through AI tools, a candidate can align their unique work experience with a greater variety of opportunities.

Efficient Job Matching and Job Search Capabilities

Algorithms can rapidly match candidates with relevant opportunities, significantly reducing the job search time. Tools can also show how aligned a candidate’s skills and experiences to a specific job description to identify matches and gaps. Outplacement services that are connected to existing public and closed job vacancy databases such as LHH’s Career Studio, will also increase the number of possible matches generated.

On-Demand, Scalable Career Support

Multiple aspects of outplacement services have been enhanced through tech driven tools and the benefits it offers to candidates far outweighs the cost of implementation to an employer. From AI-powered virtual assistants and skill gap analysis, through to job matching and interview prep, tech tools have given candidates access to greater resources than ever before. These tools can be easily scaled and made accessible to all employees and can also be adapted to help support an organisation’s internal career opportunities and workforce skill development.

Data-Driven Career Insights and Trends

AI-powered analytics provide real-time market insights which can be customised for a candidate’s specific search requirements, helping them to be better equipped to pursue their next career steps. Market trends and specific career insight reports can now be easily collated from multiple data sources to provide valuable information for the candidate to use in their career planning and decision making.

Improved CV optimisation and Interview Preparation

Something that many candidates have benefited from is how AI tools are being used to review, analyse and optimise their CVs and LinkedIn profiles. These ‘enhanced’ CVs can also make the candidate more easily found by an employer’s own AI driven candidate search tools on job databases and LinkedIn, where previously they may have been missed on candidate searches.

Tools such as ChatGPT can also support candidates when preparing for an interview. Simply by uploading a job description and asking it to recommend ‘questions that they may be asked?’ or ‘what questions should they ask?’, helps candidate be more prepared for an interview.

Disadvantages or Potential Drawbacks for Candidates

While AI offers substantial benefits, certain disadvantages or missed aspects should be highlighted.

Reduced Human Interaction

AI-driven tools can lack emotional support, empathy, and a nuanced understanding of a person’s current employment situation which is vital when helping outplacement candidates transition in their carer journey. LHH candidates often cite their Career Coach as being a key benefit in helping them move on in their career. The emotional support that human interaction can provide, the ability to be able to listen and offer practical support is not something that can be easily replicated by an Algorithm.

Bias and Algorithmic Limitations

Tech tools are often only as good as the information you put into them. Those who may not be tech savvy may find that the output is limited and that opportunities are missed because of how they interact and use the tools. Engaging with others directly and in groups can enable candidates to learn from each other where a reliance of tech support can be isolating. There are also cases where AI systems may inadvertently amplify biases, perpetuating disparities based on historical hiring patterns or limited career data.

Generic Advice and Over-Reliance on Automation

A further challenge an AI based tool might present is that it might deliver overly generic guidance because of the data and algorithms it is based on it. With individual careers and future journeys being unique to each individual professional, AI tools may lack the tailored nuance that only human coaches, with their extensive career experience and knowledge, can provide.

Potential Skill Gaps in Human Soft Skills

Whist technology-driven tools are able to pull together a greater pool of information from more sources quickly, an over-reliance on these tools might diminish the importance of ‘softer’ qualities such as interpersonal skills, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. These are often an important aspect of many roles within an organisation, even if it is not specifically outlined in a job description. 

AI-driven technological developments undoubtedly enhance career transition services by personalising and scaling support. However, balancing AI-driven efficiency with meaningful human interaction remains crucial to ensuring a comprehensive, empathetic, and genuinely helpful candidate experience.